Hide and Seek
by Taffeta Rhodes
Summary: Losing most of her clan on the Blue Night didn't stop Mana Taninaka from learning all she could about being a knight, but she's finally mastered everything her few elders can teach her. Enter Mephisto Pheles, who offers her a place at his academy in exchange for her clan's cooperation with the Order of the True Cross. There must be a catch, surely... [eventual MephistoXOC]
1. 1: Taninaka Knight

_A/N:_ Welcome to "Hide and Seek," the first thing I've posted to FF as Taffeta. I plan on updating every two or three weeks, depending on how my schedule works out, so be patient with me and you'll get good chunks of quality writing.

Cover art will be up as soon as I can draw it.

I'm planning on Mephy X OC Slow Burn since I don't see a lot of that on the internet, so feed the fire with reviews, favorites, and follows.

~TR

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Blue Exorcist may not be mine, but the OCs and most plot ideas are. And I highly recommend reading up on the manga before I get to certain chapters. (I'll put up a warning when we get there.)

* * *

 ** _#1: Taninaka Knight_**

* * *

"Mana? Mana, you're shaking!"

The young woman thought she'd only been cold when she woke with a start at the crack of dawn.

"Was it that dream again?"

"Y…Yes…" Her long, callused fingers knit into her auburn hair, tangling it further. "It must have been. I'm okay now though... Thanks."

She felt, rather than heard, her elder cousin's soft sigh as she let go and scooted back to her own mat. "I hope you have a good, understanding roommate if you have any more of these night terrors after moving to True Cross."

Mana did a set of breathing exercises to calm herself as she laid back down and stared at the ceiling, hands resting together as an extra pillow under her head. Aya – her cousin – had been the ideal representative to send to the far-off True Cross Academy until their elders decided there were still things for her to learn at home. The Taninaka clan exorcists were known for their skills as dragoons and tamers so there were plenty of helping hands ready for their black-haired, green-eyed princess.

Then there was the "unofficial" reason pointed out by the academy's chairman on the day he paid his first visit to their tiny village: Aya was too old to participate in either the cram school or the regular courses.

 _"We are in need of…_ sharper _young minds nowadays."_

Mana shivered as she thought of how quickly those unnaturally green eyes had flicked to meet hers, then to the slender sword always at her side, and then back so suddenly that she'd been pinned in the doorway until her godmother threw a pillow into her face to drive her off. She'd have known the chairman was a demon even without her mashou, but she hadn't felt frightened at all…rather, she felt-

"Mana, Mana, wake up faster or Aya runs our training experises!"

"Ex-er- _ci_ -ses, silly!" Mana couldn't help but giggle as she picked up the hyperactive six-year-old bouncing on her stomach and set him in the hallway so she could get dressed in peace. Her smile faltered a bit when she realized this morning would be the last one she had with the kids out on the training field just outside the village, but she'd still give it her all to make their day better.

 _-Flames-_

"My coat~"

Belial quickly obliged, slipping the garment onto the taller demon with a practiced ease that only comes from centuries of servitude.

"Aaaand _set!_ "

The butler applauded politely as Mephisto twirled away from the full-length mirror just in time to adjust the top hat that appeared on his head and strike a pose. He had no complaints about the King of Time being energetic enough to "grab" his own hat from the coat rack five steps away.

"Pardon my asking, but you are picking up the new transfer student yourself, sir?"

"Of course I am – I want her to get here in one piece! And besides," the demon prince's tone changed ever so slightly, "when was the last time we had such a talented lady knight in our ranks?"

Belial nodded in understanding. "When shall I have her placement tests scheduled, sir?"

"Tomorrow. I plan on introducing her to the other exwires today."

Belial made a mental note to see if Yukio had gotten a new student notification.

 _-Flames-_

Mana shifted uncomfortably on the tatami mat only to get a firm elbow dangerously close to her right kidney. She'd have reached for her sword but it was carefully wrapped in its ornamental sheath (her usual, favored one was already packed into her luggage) and placed just out of reach directly in front of her. Not like her yukata would allow that quick of a movement anyway – it was a hand-me-down from Aya and bound extra snugly since it was a bit too loose in the chest and waist.

" _My own family couldn't make me feel any more naked and helpless unless they actually stripped me and tied me to a rock by the sea as a demon sacrifice."_ Her toes wriggled nervously at the thought, then settled into steadily curling and uncurling when she realized there weren't any incoming repercussions.

"Lucia Taninaka, Maya Taninaka, Mana Taninaka, Sir Mephisto Pheles." One of her male cousins announced, voice cracking a little, as the sliding door opened and the demon let himself in.

" _Oh yes they can – they just have to invite_ him _over."_

Sir Mephisto Pheles (so he'd taken a Western-sounding name) was definitely wearing the same spotless white True Cross Order uniform from the first visit, but Mana hadn't noticed how it flattered his thin frame then because he'd been sitting down. Now on his feet, the demon was easily over six feet tall and a very commanding presence.

"Mana."

"Yes! Welcome to our home, sir!" She quickly bowed her head at her godmother's tone.

He chuckled ever so softly and she kept her head almost pressed to the floor so her fringe would hide her embarrassed flush. "I do appreciate the formality, but I'm on a very strict schedule and must return to True Cross Academy without delay. May I…?"

"Of course, Sir Pheles. Her luggage should be in your vehicle by now – she doesn't have much to pack."

"And this… This is her sword?"

Mana's head jerked up with a short gasp, earning disapproving stares from both elders, but her eyes were only for her precious weapon.

"It will do."

What a comment! She wasn't sure whether she should feel insulted or not. "I thought you were here for me, not my sword…sir."

Lucia's thin mouth tightened at the corners. "Excuse her, Sir Pheles, she's been hesitant about leaving our village since we told her-"

"Oh no, it's quite all right! I seem to have unintentionally struck a nerve." The tension in the air, however, held no signs of lessening. "Now, Mana! Take it and come along~"

Those dreadfully green eyes held hers captive for the second time as their owner's large, gloved hands gently pulled her to her feet and wrapped her fingers around the sheath's intricately braided strap, holding them in place until she took the hint. This was bad – if she couldn't keep herself under control he'd rip her to shreds as soon as they were out of sight of the village. Her weapon stayed with her solely because it was as useful against him as a security blanket was against a hungry wolf.

"Wh- What is _that_?!" She finally managed when she stepped outside only to be confronted by the bright pink limousine parked directly outside the building.

"Just a little something I like to use once in a while."

Careful to avoid the demon's gaze, Mana cautiously slid through the open door and fumbled with the seatbelt. The limo's interior was just as ostentatious as the outside, if not more so – she could see at least two flat screens, a mini fridge, a snack dispenser, and a ridiculous amount of gaming consoles without raising her head.

"Drink?" The sharp clicking of glass on glass told her that her host had opened a ramune soda, of all things. "No? I have snacks – pocky, doughnuts…mochi?"

"I think I might just take a nap. Last night was a bit stressful."

The demon shrugged as he helped himself to what he'd offered her. "Suit yourself; we'll be at True Cross Academy in about…five hours."

"Five hours?!"

"That's a _teensy_ overestimation, even with no stops for you to use some facilities." Mephisto's grin widened as his newest exwire's face reddened.

"How did you get here when you did, then?! You don't – this _car_ looks like it's fresh from the cleaner's!"

"Why don't you enjoy your nap, and I'll explain later."

"…All right. But stay over there…please…" Mana quickly closed her eyes but that didn't keep her from hearing his obnoxious little chuckle. It only hastened her reliving the Blue Night yet again.


	2. 2: Arrival

**#2: Arrival**

* * *

 _The dream started off well enough: Mana, still eighteen even though the actual events took place when she was almost three, sat across from her grandfather with a wooden practice sword on her lap in the field behind their village. She'd wanted her great uncle to fully initiate her that evening but no one seemed to be able to get in touch with him._

 _"What a shame," they said when they thought she wasn't listening. "His work must be very important if he can't come see her – he'd have loved to initiate his favorite student."_

 _A shame indeed. Mana still had the last note he'd sent her from the facility he was visiting tucked into one of her sleeves as a kind of good luck charm. She hadn't sent a reply yet because she wanted to include some photos that would be taken during the after party._

 _The rest of her relatives, minus her godmother, aunt, and older female cousins helping them in the kitchens, sat in a large circle around her and her grandfather. Most were smiling happily, but her parents were almost crying with joy. She could hear her mom sniffling already._

 _Then the ceremony began. Mana joined in the chant to summon the clan nekomata but nearly lost her place as a tall, slender woman with a cat's face and ears emerging from a well-kept mane of grey hair traipsed toward her through a gap in the circle._

 _"Mana Taninaka, stand."_

 _Mana rose so quickly that she almost fell over._

" _I offer you my protection as the guardian of your clan and this weapon, chosen for you by your elders and your strengths. Cast that toy aside."_

 _Not quite sure what the demon meant, Mana tried to throw the practice sword as far as possible. "Mmnf…!"_

" _Here, Mana." Her grandfather couldn't hide his smile well enough as he gently recovered the wooden weapon and broke it for her._

"… _You're sure she's ready?" The nekomata's furred foot withdrew slightly as if ready to turn back toward the darkness she came from._

" _More ready than many of her peers. Your instructions just went over her head a little."_

 _A chuckle ran around the circle._

" _Then make sure she keeps learning." A corner of the nekomata's catlike mouth twitched cryptically as she presented the weapon in her hands to Mana. It was a full-sized sword that had been freshly refurbished and sharpened, but not one of the ones Mana had practically drooled over in the clan armory. Her great uncle must've found it for her so she would feel like she had something new._

 _"Grow into it." The nekomata gently patted her head once she'd taken the sword, then froze._

 _Mana didn't notice until she noted her grandfather's tone as he asked, "Tomomi, what is it?"_

 _"It's…!"_

 _Half of the clan members were suddenly engulfed in brilliant blue flames, their shocked screams breaking the otherwise peaceful silence of dusk. A few relatives had the presence of mind to summon familiars with barrier-making abilities, but many were already running for the village._

 _"Grandpa!?"_

 _The man that had just initiated her into the clan crumpled to the ground in response, the blue flames leaving death and blood in their wake as they suddenly vanished from his body._

 _"Mana, you_ must _run! Satan won't spare you if he decides to use you as a vessel!" The clan nekomata, Tomomi, seemed more catlike in the eerie sapphire glow. "Run!"_

 _But Mana couldn't. Her new sword was suddenly too heavy to carry properly and her legs were two pillars made of lead. Satan was doing this? Why would he hurt people under the protection of one of his own demons? Had Tomomi done something wrong?_

 _"Mana!"_

 _"Mommy!? Daddy!?"_

"NOOOOOOO!"

Mana jolted to attention only to find herself straining against the belts of a car seat until they locked up to keep her from launching herself across the interior. "Whaa…?" Her question trailed off into unexpected coughing.

"Shall we take another loop around the block?"

The auburn-haired exwire could barely make out Mephisto's expression through the blackened bodies on a grassy plain still etched into the backs of her eyelids. "Yes… This doesn't happen often; I'm sorry if I startled you…"

"Should you have your own room if you find your dreams so concerning? It can be easily arranged even though it will up your tuition slightly." The demon didn't seem surprised in the least. Maybe her elders had already told him about her recurring nightmares?

"I wouldn't mind, if you had the room." Mana finally acquiesced. "Maybe I could share a bathroom with someone though? It may be pretty hard for me to make friends if I'm cooped up by myself."

"Oh there's plenty of room~! See for yourself!"

Mana followed the sweep of Mephisto's gloved hand to the nearest window and gasped in shock. True Cross Town was absolutely colossal. It appeared to be built on a large hill caught in between two rivers wide enough to need long, well-lit bridges built across them at several points. There was no specific theme for the architecture either, which made the mass of wood, stone, brick, and tile more intimidating despite the whimsical exterior.

" _That's_ True Cross Town?!"

"No, _that_ is only True Cross Academy," Mephisto's reflection chuckled. "We're currently driving through the town itself right now."

"Going around again will take ages – I can get presentable enough by the time we get over there!" Mana frantically began scrubbing at her face before she realized what she was doing. "My makeup!"

"Ohhh, I thought the bags under my eyes were fantastic, but don't fret too much! We'll stop by the girls' dormitories to drop your luggage off; you'll be able to use the restroom there to freshen up. Now focus on enjoying the view and a fancy cupcake~ You've got to be hungry now, yes?"

Mana, who'd caught the cupcake with both hands, was sorely tempted to throw the fluffy pink-frosted treat back into the demon's smirking face and tell him she'd rather eat her makeup, but quickly reconsidered when her stomach growled loudly. She _was_ hungry.

 _-Flames-_

" _Much_ better!" Mephisto gave Mana a slow clap as she finally emerged from the guest bathroom in her new uniform and freshly applied (but more natural) clan makeup. "Aside from your sword, you are the perfect picture of a new transfer student!"

"I'm not sure about this tie though… I think I followed the directions in the package correctly, but I-"

"Now that you mention it…"

Mana forced herself to not think about how close those green eyes were to boring holes in her chest as the demon considered something he didn't plan on sharing. _"I'm clearly a student and he's clearly the headmaster, and if anyone sees us even though my clothes are an oddly perfect fit and all present, there'll be words."_

"Let's try this." A clear cellophane package containing fabric with the same color pattern as the tie was thrust into her hands. "I promise this one is easier to tie~"

Once she'd ducked back into the bathroom and steadied her hands enough to replace the tie with the newly offered bow, Mana realized that he was right.

 _-Flames-_

 _"Where is she?" Shiemi whispered excitedly as she tried to see over Rin's shoulder, having chosen to hide behind the other exwire until she could ascertain whether the new student was friendly or not._

 _"Ask the moley four-eyes, not me. He's the one that dragged us out of training to greet her."_

 _The only sign that Yukio heard his twin's comment was in the weary way he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Sir Pheles said there'd be a slight delay so Miss Taninaka could freshen up. Don't forget she's come a long way to be with us."_

 _"If she came so far, then why is Sir Pheles insisting that we meet her so quickly?" Bon crossed his arms. "And during combat training, to boot? Does he want her to jump right in to training with us?"_

 _"Maybe she's hot!"_

 _"Shima!"_

 _"Aww, why're you mad, Izumo?! You jealous of her already?"_

 _"Hey you guys, settle down!" Yukio finally snapped a little. "You do want to show Miss Taninaka that you can get along on occasion, right?"_

The main door to the girls' dormitories suddenly swung wide to reveal…a rather well-built young woman just a touch shorter and a little bustier than Izumo. Her auburn hair was cut so she had a nice amount of fringe that didn't block her greenish eyes much, with enough left over to put into a ponytail that reached the nape of her neck.

"Oh, hi… I'm Mana Taninaka, but please call me Mana! I'll be training for knight and hope to learn a lot from you, even if you're going into something different!"

* * *

 _A/N:_ Sneaky devil, not cornering Mana and retying her tie…

Cover art (and hopefully more scenes since I believe AO3 has a way to incorporate images into stories) should appear shortly after getting this chapter up. I plan on drawing Mana in her uniform, which incorporates the standard white shirt, black shoes, and pink skirt, Shiemi's bow, and Izumo's blazer and black thigh-highs.

-TR


	3. 3: Cram School

_A/N:_ Welcome to another chapter of H&S, which takes place at the beginning of the TCA Seven Mysteries arc. Yes, we've finally met up with the canon timeline! I'll try not to repeat too much material though, so keep an eye out for references as to what the other exwires are up to.

Cover art is up (at least on FF, for those interested), but other drawings should be coming soon.

* * *

 **#3: Cram School**

* * *

"It's nice to have you join us, Mana," Yukio stepped forward with a polite smile. "I'm your instructor, Yukio Okumura, and these are your classmates. You can get acquainted with them on our way to the combat field – I've scheduled some light sparring practice."

"Would you like me to spar too? I have my own sword and one for practice that's still packed."

"It's all right if you don't want to since it's your first day here, but if you do we have plenty of practice weapons to offer."

Satisfied with his answer, Mana nodded and trotted down the rest of the stairs only to start a little as a small blonde girl practically appeared out of nowhere.

"Uwaah, your makeup looks so nice!"

"Thanks, uh…"

"Oh, sorry! I'm Shiemi Moriyama!" The blonde girl offered a shy smile and a handshake, which the new exwire slowly accepted. "I…I also think it's really cool that you're going for knight!"

"Thanks." Mana couldn't help but smile a bit at how genuine Shiemi seemed to be. "What are you planning on doing?"

"I think doctor would be best. My mom runs the exorcist supply shop so I help her out a lot, but I may try being a tamer too, even if I can't be as good as Izumo."

Mana's eyes widened a bit. "You _and_ another classmate can summon familiars already?"

"Of course we can." The girl with dark purple hair up in pigtails frowned a bit as she looked over her shoulder at her female classmates.

"Oh, don't mind her, she's always like this around new people, aren't you, Izumo?"

"You're the only new person around here then – stop that, Shima!"

The way the pink-haired guy (now known as Shima) casually threw his arm around Izumo's shoulders despite her protests made Mana giggle despite herself. At least he and Shiemi seemed nice. And the shorter boy with the buzz cut and glasses.

"So what exactly is with the makeup? You look kinda like a cat."

"Uh… It's a… My clan does it for…" No, the messy-haired version of Mister Okumura was genuinely curious, but Mana could feel her face start to heat up under her careful contouring anyway.

"Uhh, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to! I just wanted to understand why Shiemi thought it was interesting!"

"You're not making things any better, Rin…"

"That's Rin – he's Mister Okumura's older twin brother – and that's Bon!" Shima helpfully filled in as he scooted into the space between Shiemi and Mana. "And we can't forget good old Konekomaru!"

"Ah, thanks."

Shima nodded with a smile. "No problem – we're a small class so you'll be one of us in no time."

 _One of us._ Those three words brought a truly genuine smile to the auburn-haired girl's face. Who knew she'd feel more at home at cram school than her own village?

"Okay, here we are," Mister Okumura's voice brought the group to a halt at the edge of a supply building, beyond which was a set of six enclosed sparring arenas. "I'll divide you into two groups at random and then let each group pick an arena. Your choice determines what demons you face once the doors close behind you."

Fighting mystery demons was light sparring? Mana shifted anxiously on the balls of her feet. At least she had her real sword with her.

"Mana?"

"Sorry! Yes?"

"Would you like to join Shiemi's group?" Mister Okumura didn't seem to be upset with her at all.

"Uh…sure, if it doesn't throw anything off."

"All right then. Now, you have five minutes to pick your arena and start clearing it out. Go!"

 _-Flames-_

"Hey, you." Shura, wearing a black exorcist's jacket and fishnets along with her usual bra and cut-off shots combo, took in the two groups' progress as she reached Yukio's side.

The younger male simply nodded. Mana had easily made up for Shima's cowardice by taking up the offensive while Shiemi protected Bon with an array of briars. Some of her techniques were a little rough, but it wouldn't take much to get her back on the right track.

"That new girl's pretty good for someone that grew up with tamers and dragoons."

"You read her file?"

Shura pursed her already full lips. "Of course I did. You must've read it too – you didn't put her with Rin."

"I didn't put her with Rin because I made the groups before I knew she was coming."

"Uh-huh."

"She wanted to spar and seemed to get along with those three better." Yukio frowned but kept his eyes on his clipboard.

The occasional scratch of pen on paper punctuated the silence between them for a few minutes.

"Aren't you supposed to be going somewhere?"

"Aww, don't remind me! I'd rather meet Mana first."

 _-Flames-_

Other than the arena doors opening once her group had destroyed the hobgoblin leader and the surprise introduction to Shura, an Upper Class Exorcist, Mana had found the day pretty mundane overall. Maybe tomorrow would be more interesting since she'd be entering the regular school and taking her placement tests.

Maybe she could go into town with someone…

Mana awoke with a start in a strangely dark room to the sound of running on the roof above her head and some strange falsetto voice yelling about all the cute boys. Oh, that's right, this was her first night at True Cross Academy.

With a sigh, the auburn-haired girl forced herself to change into pajamas before going back to sleep.

 _-Flames-_


	4. 4: Unexpected Letter

**#4: Unexpected Letter**

* * *

Birdsong and a gentle knocking at the door stirred Mana early the next morning. Where was she again? True Cross Academy. That's right. It was also her placement test day.

"Tests?! Oomph!"

"M-Mana, are you okay?!" Shiemi called timidly through the door.

"I'm fine, thanks – let me get dressed and I'll be right out!"

"Ah, no rush! You still have time!"

"She wanted to make sure you knew where the cafeteria was." Izumo's voice grudgingly chimed in.

"Okay! I never went last night because I was too tired - crap!" Mana bit her lip as her usually steady hand streaked kohl from the corner of her eye to her earlobe. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden?

No matter. Repairing the damage to her face wouldn't take too long.

"I'm done, let's go, sorry to keep you waiting!"

Shiemi and Izumo were forced to take a large step backward as Mana strode into them at attention, closing the door smartly behind her.

"Hey, calm down! This isn't some sort of boot camp, and you're not impressing any of us like that!"

"Izumo, please! You're getting too loud," A third student with short dark brown hair standing a bit behind the pigtailed tamer looked across the corridor nervously.

"…Hmph."

Shiemi's eyes darted around the group nervously before she followed Izumo toward the exit. "Izumo?"

"Sorry about that. I'm Paku, Izumo's roommate. We actually live down the hall from you there." Paku pointed out a door about halfway down the other side of the corridor. "I saw your luggage arrive, and Shiemi told me about you."

"I'm Mana. It's nice to meet you, Paku." The brunette smiled a bit. "…Did I really act like I was in a boot camp?"

"A little, but I guess some exorcists are raised like that."

"You guess? Are you not an exorcist?"

"I was, but it didn't really work out."

Mana had to look away to navigate the stairs. "I'm sorry. You don't have to explain – we just met and it seems like a touchy first topic of the day."

Paku nodded. "It's okay. I do hang out with them a lot. It's a tough job so they need all the support they can get."

 _-Flames-_

By the time the four reached the cafeteria, even Izumo had fallen back a little to listen in on the others' lighthearted chatter. The new exwire still annoyed her almost as much as Shiemi though. Was she going to turn out as snobbish as their puppet-wielding classmate had been the night before?

"There you are! What took you so long?!" Shima hollered as he waved the group over. He and the other boys had already bought their meals and claimed a table.

"Mana, that's what."

The exwire in question could only blink in shock. "I didn't know they wanted me to come down to eat with everyone – not that I would've turned them away or anything!"

"Hey, don't worry about it. We're the only ones here – Rin and Mister Okumura make their own food at their dorm and join us for lunch." Konekomaru chimed in.

"Their own food?"

Someone tried to explain that the dormitory buildings had their own kitchens, but Mana's eyes had been drawn to the price tags prominently placed in front of the dishes in a nearby food warmer.

"¥25,000…¥50,000…¥38,000… Excuse me!"

"Someone worked up an appetite yesterday!" Shima's laugh turned into a yelp as Bon shifted to "lightly" punch his arm.

"As she should have – she did her share of work _and_ yours!"

"Hey heey, Bon, cut it out before someone gets hurt! We still have mysteries to solve!"

Mana, though still pretty embarrassed about her stomach rumbling, managed to discreetly extract her wallet from her new Academy satchel and count the allowance she'd been given before she left home. Even though her family was relatively well off she'd burn through her cash before the month was out at this rate.

"Do you have enough, Mana? My mom always sends me with enough bento for two so we can share it if you want."

"Maybe. Let me check my bag in case some fell out. Huh?" The brunette added in confusion as a bright pink envelope decorated with small, glittery stickers caught her eye. "I-I think this love letter got put in the wrong bag. It must be…uh…for _me_?"

' _Mana Taninaka'_ was indeed scrawled across the front in dark purple pen ink.

"It's almost time for class, but you should open it now," Bon eyed the envelope the way one might stare down a hobgoblin. "Rin got a similar one the other day and it turned out to be from Mephisto."

"The headmaster? Right! I guess I have to then in case it's somehow school-related."

The group crowded in as soon as Mana had torn open the flap…only for their jaws to drop in surprise as three crisp ¥5,000 yen notes and a folded letter slid to the tabletop. The brunette quickly scooped up the letter and unfolded it without prompting.

' _Dear Miss Mana,_

 _Good morning~*! I hope you're enjoying your first day at my academy – too bad I'm not around to see it. :'(_

 _I somehow forgot to give you the monthly stipend promised as part of your scholarship yesterday, so I asked the staff to put it in your bag. CONGRATULATIONS on your ¥15,000! :D :D :D_

 _Finally, good luck on your placement tests! 3 3 Your exorcist one in particular – how you work with the other exwires will play a BIG part in scoring. :o_

 _*XOXOXO*_

 _Mephisto Pheles'_

"Ehm, Miss Taninaka?" A teacher's sudden arrival broke through the incredibly awkward atmosphere settling over the table. "I came to fetch you for your placement tests. You can meet up with your friends this afternoon before cram school classes begin."

"Right." The letter, money, and wallet were quickly shoved into Mana's bag as she got up from her seat. "How can I get in touch with you? I still don't really know my way around campus."

Shima shrugged. "We'll find you at some point since we all have lunch together anyway. Now go get 'em."

"Good luck!" Shiemi's cheerful chirp brought a small smile to Mana's face as she was lead out of the cafeteria, but it did little to settle the butterflies in her stomach. What exactly would she do for her exorcist testing?

* * *

 _A/N:_ Figuring out exactly how Mana would discover the letter was the most difficult part of writing chapter 4, but I find the end result more satisfying than the most recent manga update...

Mephy will be back in time for chapter 5, for those curious, which should be posted before the end of this month. We'll be wrapping up manga chapter 41 and covering up to 43 or 44.

Those random 3's are supposed to be hearts, by the way, but FF doesn't like the sideways caret/circumflex things much.


	5. 5: A Grain of Truth?

**#5: A Grain of Truth?**

* * *

Mana practically sprinted outdoors into the open air. She was finally free from the dreaded exam room! Now she just had to find the others and mentally prepare herself for whatever was thrown at her during cram school.

"Sorry!" She shouted over her shoulder as she almost slammed into a short blonde-haired boy with a pink rabbit-like puppet on one hand. "Wait up, Mr. Okumura, sir!"

"Mana?" The young man in question seemed a bit startled, but he did slow down enough to let her catch up to him.

"Sorry…! I don't like yelling, but…are you going to meet…up with the others? Err, I mean my classmates?!"

"I was actually just taking a walk, but I guess I lost track of time. Lunch is almost over so we can meet them at the girl's dormitory – we'll be having class there today."

"Okay, thank you, sir!"

 _-Flames-_

"Hey, there's four-eyes!" Rin waved enthusiastically. "And Mana! She survived her tests!"

"Unlike someone else." Izumo quipped.

Rin's face quickly reddened. "My battle skills more than make up for my test-taking skills, polkabrows!"

"Can it, Okumura! We don't need an accident in front of Mana!"

Mana was busy graciously accepting some sweet buns that Shiemi saved for her, but looked up as her name was mentioned. "Yes?"

Rin's blue eyes widened in alarm as he quickly slung his own katana back over his shoulder. "Nothing much! Geez, Izumo, don't make me do stupid things!"

"All right, now that we're all here, we'll be going up to the sixth floor toilets." Yukio sighed but continued to speak as he decided it was time to open the doors. "As we discussed last night, there is an evil ghost that has taken up residence in this bathroom and traumatized three third-years to the point that they had to postpone their studies. However, this ghost only responds to females, so Miss Kamiki, Miss Moriyama, and Miss Taninaka will go on ahead, while the rest of us…do as Sir Pheles ordered."

Izumo took a deep breath as she stepped away from the group and cut her thumb so she bled onto a pair of paper summoning circles. "I humbly call upon the gods of harvest! Follow my wishes, leave none unfulfilled!"

Mana gasped and gripped the hilt of her drawn sword tightly as twin silver-white whirlwinds consolidated into foxes. "Wooow!"

"Don't gawk! It's bad enough that we got summoned during the Rice-Harvest!" The fox-shaped spirit with an apron on spat angrily.

"We were in the middle of enjoying the offerings!" His companion, wearing a sedge hat and scarf, chimed in right on cue.

"Enough!" Izumo clearly wasn't in the mood for their antics today. "Just shut up and follow me!"

The pigtailed tamer fearlessly led the way into the deserted girl's toilet. Without the usual chattering laughter, the sounds of their footsteps reverberating off the tiled surfaces was rather eerie.

"What a beautiful toilet…"

"Shiemi, shh." Mana forced herself to relax. "Hey, are those…?"

"Coal tars." Shiemi nodded as Izumo frowned, following the specks' movements with her eyes in case they seemed to create a trail to the evil spirit they were searching for.

Once Yukio gave them the go-ahead, Izumo and Shiemi began checking out the stalls lining both sides of a narrow corridor while Mana trailed behind, checking over their shoulders and the way they came just in case the spirit planned on an ambush from behind.

 _Ugly._

Only Mana's training kept her body from going completely rigid. "Did either of you hear that…?"

"Hear what?"

 _Plain Jane._

"It's coming from here; I thought we checked this one."

"Mana, don't go inside!" Shiemi suddenly cried out.

"It's pulling me in! I can't cut my way out!"

 _All she does is stand around and be useless. What a joke._

"Aaaaaaaagh!"

The stall door crashed closed, the lock slamming into its housing with a loud rattle.

"Mana!" Shiemi seemed to think twice about pounding on the door, so she just knocked politely. "Can you hear me?! Are you still there?!"

"Hey, idiot, what if it opens the door and pulls you in too?!" Izumo humphed. "How about if it comes out and quits with the small _talk_?!"

The last word was emphasized by the pigtailed tamer kicking the door wide open to reveal…nothing.

 _-Flames-_

 _Her cousins got the better looks._

 _You're not their friend, you're their entertainment._

Long, greasy black strands of hair tightened around Mana's head and bound her legs together, then knotted around her right wrist so tightly that she was forced to drop her sword. It didn't hit the bathroom tile with a clang – where were they now? Or did the spirit have enough hair writhing about to muffle the fall?

"You don't know me!"

 _But I know what they're not telling you._

"I'm sure it's something stupid, like…like how to get meal coupons!" Inky tendrils began to curl about her neck and she thrashed harder, reaching with her free hand for anything she could use as a weapon.

 _They'll never really accept you until you know, but you'll hate them all if they tell you the truth… Gehgehgehgerrrrhehhehrr!_

"Stop…that!"

 _Oh, I wasn't just referring to your 'friends'… I was also referring to your family!"_

"No!" The more Mana tried to resist, the more her mental walls crumbled. She'd taken too much of what the spirit said to heart and now she was going to pay the price.

 _"Rite of the Quivering Soul!"_

The faint cry that vaguely sounded like Izumo gave way to blazing trails of light that dissolved the surrounding darkness until Mana landed with a heavy thump on the hard, cool, bathroom tiles. Shiemi also appeared on her side just beyond the now open stall door, gasping for air.

"Thank you…Izumo…"

Something unreadable flickered across the tamer's face. "…Then listen up, because I'm only going to say this once: I'm the one who should be thanking you."

A burst of applause and compliments came from Mr. Okumura and their male classmates, who now entered the bathroom in pretty convincing drag outfits.

So crossdressing as girls to provide backup was the backup plan that Mephisto set up?

Izumo and Shiemi seemed to come to the same conclusion that Mana had because the three biological ladies did a perfectly synched spit-take (with some coughing thrown in the following laughter since Mana was still recovering from being choked).

 _-Flames-_

Mephisto smirked to himself as he put the finishing touches on his time-altering barrier around the artificial Gehenna Gate. Miss Taninaka should have completed the first part of her cram school testing by now. He'd been tempted to have her assist with the transvestite bride, but figured facing down a ghost that only paid attention to men wouldn't rattle her as much.

A cautiously soft presence briefly brushed up against his own, but from outside the barrier. Curious. Who could be bothered to seek him out _and_ so politely ask for an audience?

 _"Good day, my lady."_

The nekomata bowed lowly in reply, grey mane and twin tails quickly losing the extra fluff they gained from the abrupt mental transition to Gehenna. _"Thank you for noticing me, my prince."_

 _"Prince indeed, but certainly not yours! Wouldn't you be better off looking for Amaimon, mountain maid?"_

 _"Normally, yes, but I was told you took my last swordswoman."_ When the demon prince didn't reply, she added, _"I would like to know why I wasn't consulted."_

 _"That's a matter best taken up with your Taninakas. All I did was offer them a deal after the Blue Night, and then collect after the terms were finalized in the past few months."_

 _"They will not talk to me."_

 _"Then there is nothing I can do."_

* * *

 _A/N:_ People are starting to think about asking questions...

Look forward to chapter 6, which may contain blue flames, Mephisto's triumphant return to the Academy, another letter, and/or real food (because my poor OC keeps missing meals).


	6. 6,1: A Knight on the Town

**#6, Part 1: A Knight on the Town**

* * *

After the laughter finally died down, Yukio praised the three ladies on a job well done and dismissed the group for the day. He did, however, hold Mana back for a minute.

"Miss Mana, I wanted to let you know that you did very well today despite the spirit's nature."

"Thank you, sir." She stifled another giggle and forced herself to look him in the eyes so his outfit didn't distract her. "Did… Did I pass?"

"Just barely, but don't worry about it. There are three parts to your cram school test and this will probably be the hardest of them."

"Really?! That's great – I don't know what's going on between the others sometimes, but I do want to keep working with them and they all seem very nice!"

The young exorcist couldn't help but smile a bit at Mana's honesty. "Then we will investigate the next mystery tomorrow night."

"Okay, thank you!"

"But Mana…"

The brunette turned back toward him, holding up a hand after a moment so Shiemi knew to wait just a little longer for her. "Yes, sir?"

"If the spirit said anything that you would like to talk about, don't be afraid to come to me or another instructor. Your schedule will be given to you in the morning so you'll get to know more of your exorcist teachers then."

"I'll keep that in mind too."

Yukio nodded in understanding. "Have a good night, then."

"Goodnight!"

 _-Flames-_

"What did you talk about?" Shiemi immediately asked as soon as Mana caught up to her.

"My cram school test. I apparently passed the first part."

"Whaa?! That's great, Mana!"

"But I barely did anything. I don't remember anything that happened after the spirit took me into the stall and said things that I should've been able to brush off." Mana nearly missed a step. "I know it just wanted to mess with me, but not knowing what I'm up against messes with me even more!"

"Mana, you _did_ help us. A lot." The blonde tamer gently pulled the taller girl to a stop. "You told us that you couldn't cut your way out so we knew we had to fight with our familiars. And it probably took you first since you were the only one who had an actual weapon."

"But Izumo's inari foxes-"

"They weren't listening to me."

Izumo had come back to join them. "That's the only thing you need to know about why I thanked Shiemi. But Mana, if you're already familiar with tamers, you should know what can happen if something goes wrong during the summoning process."

The new exwire nodded. She hadn't seen any of those incidents firsthand but knew of relatives that had familiars turn on them due to conflicts of interest. "Then, if you need anything, let me help you maintain the great relationship you have with your family's guardian spirits too."

"Absolutely not! I can do that all on my own!"

"…I was a bit too forward?" Mana asked Shiemi once Izumo's angry footsteps faded away.

"No?"

The two exchanged surprised looks before laughing at their shared awkwardness.

"Let's give her some time then." Mana surprised herself by giggling a little more when her stomach unexpectedly growled. "Hey, Shiemi? I'm suddenly really hungry. Do you want to get something to eat with me?"

The blonde smiled delightedly. "Actually, I would! And if you bring your exorcism books I can show you what we're going to be learning about in classes this week!"

"So I can read everything ahead of time and help you study? Oh no, I don't mean you aren't smart or anything! I'm sorry!"

Shiemi only laughed harder. "It's okay, you didn't mean anything! I don't mind studying together at all either! I'm not that good with the names of things listed in the books so it would be great for me too!"

"We'll stop by my room on the way down to get my books then, and then find somewhere to eat."

"Okay! Hey, maybe we could also see if Rin can come with us? He goes to town a lot and probably knows a lot of good cafés and food stands that are close by!"

"Sure! I don't really see him around much, but if you like him then I probably will too." Mana slowed down and lowered her voice as she realized her voice might carry down the stairs to Izumo and Paku's room. The tamer probably wouldn't like overhearing her and Shiemi's plans for the evening.

"Ah, there they are! Good evening, ladies!"

Mana stopped so abruptly that Shiemi almost ran into her. "Sir Pheles!?"

The demon in question grinned. "Miss Mana! Miss Izumo here told me about your work today; I must say the three of you did a splendid job despite your differences~"

"Th-Thank you, but I really think they deserve more credit."

"Nonsense!" Mephisto waved her modesty aside. "Now, if you don't mind accompanying me to my office, we can discuss a few educational matters over tea."

Something about the demon's expression and Izumo's smug little smile made the fine hairs on the back of Mana's neck stiffen. "I'm sorry, Shiemi, but I think we may have to figure out a new night for dinner."

"That's okay, Mana. Let me know how the meeting goes tomorrow in class!"

The small reminder that she'd actually be a part of school life the next day gave Mana the boost she needed to make her goodbye wave look more genuine. While Shiemi was a very sweet girl, she seemed to worry too much over something if it could cause problems for a friend.

"Do you mind if I use your door?"

"For…?" her voice trailed off as she realized the key Mephisto was holding didn't match her own.

"Since it's getting late I figured we would take a more direct route. The campus is usually very safe at night, but these are interesting times."

Interesting times? Mana made the mistake of curiously looking up. Of course he was staring at her. He was a demon. She was his entertainment.

"I want to drop my bag off first." The words frozen in her throat fell out in a rush just as quickly as she flipped her fringe so it blocked her view.

"Best hurry, then~ Tea is best served hot."

Mana managed to retreat into the safety of her room casually enough, aside from closing her door just a bit harder than necessary when she heard Izumo's snickering. _Damn._ This is where being able to pull off petty revenge as well as her cousin could come in handy – why couldn't anyone just tell her straight up if they had a problem with her?

Maybe she really needed to talk to someone about what that spirit said to her.

"Okay, I'm ready." Mana stepped back into the corridor once she'd set her bag on her bed and calmed down a little. "Sorry about the wait."

"It's nothing." Mephisto's key, surprisingly, slid into the lock and turned with ease. "After you~"

Mana slowly reopened her door and gasped despite herself. Her modest white- and wood-walled room had been replaced by a large office dominated by the expensive-looking desk and picture windows directly across from her. The décor, however, was a strange mix of academic and enthusiastic otaku – massive binders of school records and merchandise advertising popular anime shared shelf space, and often propped the other up.

"Oh, we got lucky! The tea service is still here~ Please have a seat, Miss Mana." Mephisto pocketed his key as he closed the door behind them.

"But-! What?!" Mana flung open the door again only to see one of the upper floors of True Cross Academy. She even checked both sides of the door before reluctantly letting it close again.

"Magic keys! Very handy, don't you think? Every exorcist has at least one." Mephisto chuckled as he waited by the tea service. "Do you take cream or sugar?"

"I don't." The brunette didn't immediately sit in the chair waiting for her in front of the desk – she was too distracted by the tea things moving around as if an invisible butler was tending to them.

"Ah." The demon nodded as he waited for her to sit, then took to his own chair. "So…what do you think of my academy so far?"

"It's very…fancy, but I can't say a lot about classes until tomorrow."

"And the cram school?"

Mana stalled a little by sipping enough of her tea to slightly burn her lips. "A lot different than anything I'd had at home. Training is less about drills and more about actual combat; I'm used to waiting for months after asking for a legitimate mission."

"Didn't your family tell you anything about True Cross Academy before sending you here?" A tray of clearly store-bought pastries drifted over from the tea service. "What a pity! Some of your elders really enjoyed their time in True Cross Town! There are still stories about – oh, help yourself! You must be famished after all you've done today!"

"Thank you," Mana didn't need to be invited twice, but she was still polite enough to start with two of the doughy goodies. "And thank you for the scholarship money too. I didn't realize I qualified for anything. Or had elders that attended school here."

"It's how your aunt and godmother took care of most of your paperwork. However, you may still want a paying job so you can experience everything the area has to offer! _That_ is why I have this for you." This time Mephisto bothered to set his teacup down so he could personally hand over a white envelope. "It's a generic application that students may fill out and return to the main office. Any approved employer can then ask for an interview."

"I do appreciate this, but my family would probably think of me as ungrateful."

"Then at least consider it. They're not here to supervise you, correct?"

 _He has a point. Why not start being the person I want to be?_ A rebellious little voice whispered at the back of her mind. _Grandfather would approve – remember his last letter to you?_

"How about if I decide after looking it over?"

"I'll accept that." Mephisto grinned as Mana took the envelope and set it next to her cup. "More tea?"

"A little, if there is anything else you would like to talk about."

"Not particularly… I figured you would have more questions for me, but you seem to be taking most things in stride rather well."

"It's nothing, really," Mana suddenly discovered that her bangs and the rim of her teacup provided almost complete protection from the emerald eyes now regarding her with renewed interest. "I _have_ fought a few demons while on missions. Mostly coal tars and the occasional troll though."

"So intangible spirits are something entirely new. Well, feel free to ask your exorcism instructors – or myself – if you have any questions or concerns in the future."

"Thank you."

Mephisto suddenly glanced at a nearby clock. "Well, would you look at that! You still have time to catch up to Miss Moriyama and go to town!"

Mana gasped in surprise despite herself. Had she really drank two cups of tea and eaten four pastries in under fifteen minutes? "Not if I have to run across campus to reach her!"

"Ah-aah, remember~?" The magic key reappeared with a wink and a flourish. "I can let you out right at the entrance to your dorm!"

"Perfect! …If you don't mind doing so, sorry!"

But the demon only laughed at her outburst. "It's the least I can do for unexpectedly derailing your plans! Come along now, Mana!"

"Thanks again for the application and the meeting then, Sir Pheles!" Mana hastily bowed before slipping through the doorway and then sprinting after Shiemi once she'd reoriented herself.

 _-Flames-_

Mephisto made sure that Mana caught up to Shiemi before gently closing the door and removing his magic key from the lock. One thing was now certain: Mana really had no idea why she'd actually been sent to True Cross Academy.

This new development was rather disappointing. He'd already stressed his physical body enough by sealing the artificial Gehenna gate and returning to Japan as quickly as possible, but then he'd also "compressed" his meeting time with Mana so she could keep her plans with Shiemi.

To examine the situation from a different perspective, would he have "drawn out" an interrogation if Mana had known what her clan was planning?

Of course he would have!

Chortling to himself, Mephisto dismissed the tea service with a wave of his hand and left his office for the night. He still had plenty of work to do.

* * *

 _A/N:_ I was about halfway through writing what is now chapter 6.2 when I decided to break this post up due to length, so expect an update to come much sooner than usual. Being on holiday will also result in faster posts until a month or two into next year.

A better author's note, and possibly, a little Christmas extra, will also be included in the 6.2 update.


	7. 6,2: A Knight on the Town

_A/N:_ Kuro's voice is in italics and brackets because I'd rather make it look a little different than include all the typed-out cat noises.

* * *

 **#6.2: A Knight on the Town**

* * *

"Shiemi! Wait for me!"

"Mana?" The blonde whirled around, eyes wide in surprise. "Is your meeting over already?"

"Yes, it is," Mana panted a little. "I thought it would take longer too… Would you still like to go out?"

"Sure! Are you still okay with Rin coming too?"

Mana held back a little so Shiemi could lead the way and slipped the envelope from Mephisto into the inside pocket of her school blazer. "Sure. Oh, I forgot I still had my sword!"

"How do you forget about that?"

"I guess I'm just so used to it that I adjust it as needed – Sir Pheles didn't comment on it at all either." Mana shrugged with a chuckle. "I'll hold onto it just in case we run into trouble."

 _-Flames-_

 _["Rin! Rii-iin! Yukio's coming!"]_ Kuro's yowling was accompanied by padded footsteps.

Crap! His younger brother wasn't supposed to be back yet! Rin hastily shoved Mana's file back into the pile of papers on Yukio's desk and flopped into his own chair just as his twin brother opened the door to their room.

"Rin, did you tell Kuro that I'd died or something? He seems way too happy to see me – what did you do this time?"

"Read up for class…for once…"

"How? You're holding that upside down."

"I am? Haha, thanks, glasses face! I was wondering why I had to keep borrowing your dictionary!" Rin laughed nervously as he flipped his book on summoning right way up. "Guess it's time for a study break! Dinner just needs to be heated up a little."

 _["He's not buying it, Rin."]_ Kuro hopped up on Rin's bed to better observe.

"Okay, you got me. I was looking at Mana's file because I wanted to find out why you wouldn't let me spar with her."

"Rin," Yukio sighed after a second or so, "I was going to tell everyone tomorrow before we started on the new mystery since the next part of Mana's exam will be on how she works with the entire group."

"Do you really think that would give me enough time to rethink my fighting strategies?"

"No, but you're not supposed to let your flames do everything for you anyway. Can't you at least try to be as adaptable as Mana?"

"What does she have to do with this conversation?" Rin frowned at the insult.

"She is doing her best to help her groupmates even though she barely knows anything about them. Therefore, we have to-"

"Hey, hold up there! How do you think we feel, knowing so little about her?! The makeup, the constant apologizing, her clan's… Sure, you're going to tell us about her history tomorrow, but have you really seen how we've interacted with her? It's so…" Rin sighed in frustration. "It's like how I was treated before I started controlling my flames better."

"Rin…" While Yukio was still mad about being cut off so abruptly, he realized that his older brother did have a point. "I will ask Sir Pheles about what I can tell the class - and what I can tell Miss Mana - tomorrow."

A knock from the front door broke the budding silence between the two.

"Hello?! Rin, are you there?!"

Recognizing Shiemi's voice, Rin excitedly jumped up and threw his window open. "Hey there! What's up?!"

"Mana and I wanted to eat in town tonight, but weren't sure where to go. Would you like to come help us out?"

"Would I ever! I know some great sukiyaki places that are close by!"

"Whatever happened to reading up for class…?" Yukio commented in such a mood-killing tone that Rin fell flat on his face as he rushed to the door.

"Pleeeeeaase, Yukio?! Can't I put the rest of it off for a couple of hours?! I'll even bring you back something if you want!"

 _["Ooh, ooh, bring me back some catnip wine, Rin! Or some nice fish!"]_ Kuro mrowed excitedly.

"Oh all right, but you have to make sure that Shiemi and Mana get home safely."

"Can do, sir!"

Yukio smiled a bit to himself as he closed the window, making sure the trio were safely on their way before drawing the shades. He would have joined them if lesson plans wrote themselves.

 _-Flames-_

"Oh, you brought your sword along too." Mana realized after a couple minutes of walking and Shiemi's occasional attempts to start a conversation.

"It just means that Shiemi will be well-protected if anything happens to us tonight!" Rin awkwardly laughed. "Turn left here."

Mana smiled a little. "Hopefully nothing happens. I'd like a break from being an exorcist."

"What do you mean?" Shiemi asked.

"Oh," The new knight looked away from her companions' curious stares. "It's just that, at home, I always had to be ready to fight something. No one left the village without a plan that included what to do if a demon attacked, and that plan was followed to the letter. Getting to be a bit spontaneous is…nice."

Rin's nose wrinkled a bit. "That sounds horrible. And dating must've been a nightmare."

"Dating was the worst! Sorry – I would get in big trouble for going to the restaurant next door if the one we'd wanted to go to closed early, or we spent so much time getting ice cream so we missed the movie we were going to see."

So you _dated_?!" Shiemi's eyes grew huge. "Did you have your fist kiss already, then?"

"No; we only saw each other for a week before he got tired of trying to work around my elders' scheduling."

"Well shame on them for not letting you have at least one proper date." Rin huffed. "Hey, there's the food cart I wanted you guys to try! Everything is 500 yen or lower."

The food cart in question was a nice little portable shack set up by the sidewalk next to a small green space with a walking trail and a fountain in the middle. The attendant was currently changing one of the lights hung around the shack's roof but quickly ducked inside the moment he realized he was about to have customers.

"Rin, it's been a while! Welcome back!"

"Hi, Mister Sato! I brought some friends with me tonight. This is Shiemi Moiyama, and this is Mana Tani…"

"Taninaka." Mana finished for him with a polite bow.

"Oh, so these 'friends' aren't just people you've made up, eh?" Mister Sato chortled. "Then I'll help you keep them around by offering a fifty percent discount tonight."

"We'll take it!"

 _-Flames-_

"Mmmm, this is just about as good as your food is, Rin!" Shiemi smiled happily as she wiped her face clean.

"Thanks! I may have given him some tips on how to make it better last time I came," Rin smiled back proudly.

Mana ate the last few bites of her food while rolling her eyes at Rin's bragging. He'd been just as nice as Shiemi made him out to be once he'd gotten to know her a little.

"What do you think, Mana?"

"I think that this is the best sukiyaki I've ever had. Thanks for the recommendation, Rin, and for buying our food for us."

"Hey, it's the least I could do since you both kicked butt earlier! Just don't tell Yukio since it's not in the budget. Don't worry though – I save enough from buying groceries on sale that he'll never notice it's gone! Bwahahahaa!"

"Rin!" Shiemi giggled despite herself.

"Don't encourage him, Shiemi." Mana pretended to scold her. "But seriously, Rin, if Yukio's so bent on budgeting, how do you manage to keep up your sword?"

"Keep up my sword? You mean like maintenance?"

"Yes, exactly that. I'll need to replace parts of my sword care kit sooner or later so I was wondering if you knew of any places that have good quality supplies for decent prices."

"Uhh, I actually just use the academy stuff." Rin shrugged.

"You don't? I can help you get one started for when you're an exorcist – they're great to have if you're not very close to a town while on a mission."

"It's okay, Mana, a few wipes with a wet cloth is all it really needs!"

"A wet cloth? You really should be using some sort of oil on it too. Do you mind if I take a look?"

"Uhh, no! I mean it's not rusting or anything so it must be okay, right? And isn't that kind of like working while you're trying to relax?"

"Not to me," Mana sighed. "I haven't had anyone to talk shop with for a while so I was a bit excited when I learned that you're also working toward being a knight."

Conflicted, Rin looked at Shiemi to see what she thought of the situation but the blonde seemed just as concerned as he was.

"How about if we see yours first, Mana?" Shiemi finally asked. "I'll get to see what a good sword looks like too."

"Okay." Mana nodded as she carefully drew her sword out of its sheath at her hip with a practiced movement. The blade's metal gleamed silver and gold as it caught the park's lights and the glow of the moon above them.

"Whaaa…"

"My grandfather and my great uncle taught me everything I know about caring for it, and they were master swordsmen."

"No contest, yours makes mine look like a rustbucket!" Rin held his hands up in mock surrender. "Oh look at the time! We should get Shiemi home and you to the girls' dorm before moley four-eyes tracks me down!"

"You're right! I didn't tell mom that I'd be out this late!" Shiemi gasped in shock. "Maybe you can show Mana your katana some other time, Rin?"

"Sure, some other time is fine with me." Mana nodded reluctantly as she sheathed her own sword. She couldn't hide her disappointment any more.

"Tell you what," Rin turned to face her with a small sigh. "I'll let you look at it tomorrow after the next mystery. That way you can show me how to clean it since it'll be nice and dirty after I kick some demon butt!"

"But what if I kick butt first?"

"Oh-ho, I accept your challenge! Loser has to –"

"The loser can buy the winner lunch!" Shiemi clapped her hands excitedly. "It's something the both of you would enjoy, and the rest of us can appreciate too!"

"I'm interested." Mana's grin hesitantly grew into a confident smile. "Challenge accepted, Rin."

"I was thinking that the loser would bow down as they admitted defeat, but that works too."

The two knights-in-training shook hands to seal the deal before throwing their trash away and starting the walk back to campus.

 _-Flames-_

"What was that?" Shiemi hesitantly asked as something rustled in a nearby ally. They were just about to cross over the bridge that would deposit them by the academy's main gate so nothing should have been able to get close to them.

Rin moved to stand behind the girls and carefully rested a hand on the hilt of his katana. "What was what?"

"That!"

 _["There you are, Rin!"]_

Both Mana and Shiemi let out huge sighs of relief as a small black tuxedo cat with luminous yellow eyes stepped into the circle of light cast by the lamp they were standing under…and then promptly leapt at Rin's face.

"Heeey, Kuro! Did glasses-face send you out after me?" Rin laughed. "Oh, your sake! I'll try to get you extra fish tomorrow to make up for that, okay?"

The cat humphed but settled on Rin's shoulder anyway. _["Of course you didn't remember – you were out with_ her _!"]_

"Is that Rin's cat?" Mana quietly asked Shiemi.

"Yes."

"Well he doesn't seem to like us much right now."

Shiemi frowned as Rin and Kuro looked at Mana with similar surprised expressions.

"Wait, you can understand him?"

"Yes… My clan's familiar is a nekomata so that may have something to do with it?"

 _["I like that someone else can understand me, but I really wish it wasn't her! She smells like a rival! Fight her, Rin! Make her go away!"]_

"Wait, Kuro! No!"

But the damage was already done. The cat sidhe had managed to push Rin's katana far enough out of its sheath to send bright blue flames shooting into the crisp night air.

* * *

 _A/N:_ This is what I wanted to put up for everyone on New Year's Eve, but I was having some car issues and wasn't able to do so then. However, to make up for it, I'm also putting up a bit of accompanying artwork. I'm a bit of a perfectionist (especially when it comes to Mana and Mephisto) but I plan on linking one piece per chapter.

The image for Chapter 2 is now up! Go to TaffetaRhodes on Deviantart and seek it out if you like, as FF doesn't like outside links much, or switch to AO3 and use the link provided at the bottom of Chapter 2 itself.


	8. 7: Sapphire Panic

**Disclaimer:** I have no experience with panic attacks, nor with anyone who has them in relation to PTSD, so all information related to such topics comes from internet sources that may or may not be reliable. Please let me know if anything seems inaccurate.

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 **#7: Sapphire Panic**

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"Kuro, go home right now!" Rin practically threw the cat sidhe back across the bridge as his full demon strength kicked in. "Get Yukio! Damn, damn, _damn,_ Mana, I can't believe you had to see that!"

"No… Not again…"

"Hey, Mana, look – I'll make them go away myself, see?" Without Kuro pushing it up, the katana easily slid back into its sheath with a soft click, which immediately snuffed out the blue flames.

"R-Really…?" The brunette's legs wobbled precariously. "But it's got to be a trick, right?"

"Nope! Well, kind of…it's why I didn't want to show you my sword – it keeps my crazy demon powers contained so I can work on becoming an exorcist."

"…Stop lying and get out of my friend, Sataaaaaaan!"

"Rin!"

Shiemi's warning broke Rin out of his own shock just in time for him to dodge a blow that would have ruined his legs. He didn't want Mana to incapacitate him, but he also didn't want to draw his own sword and antagonize her more.

"Shiemi! I need your help!"

" _My_ help?!"

"Yes!" Rin paused as he leapt back and up onto the bridge's railing instead of being forced into the water below. "The bridge is wood – make a cage or something!"

"That's right! Nii!" The little greenman appeared with a puff of smoke after the usual blood offering. "Hold Mana still!"

The bridge began to warp and sprout branches under the spirit's guidance, but Mana would either chop the greenery to pieces before it got too thick or use it to propel herself closer to Rin.

"Shiemi!"

"Jump now!"

Mana attempted to counter Rin's movements…only to cry out in alarm as the branch beneath her feet unexpectedly gave way so she fell into the empty space underneath, effectively trapping herself inside of a cage with bars too thick to slash her way out of.

Realizing he was pretty much safe at this point, Rin jumped down to join Shiemi. "That was way too close."

"Sorry."

"It's not your fault, Shiemi, she's just really fast."

The pair waited in silence for what seemed like an absurdly long amount of time, not sure what to say to each other or to Mana. Even Nii seemed unusually subdued.

"She's too quiet… Can you clear away some of the branches?"

Shiemi slowly nodded, which Nii took as its cue to return sections of the bridge back to their normal state.

They found Mana seated in an intersection between two thick limbs, clutching her now sheathed sword to her chest as if it were a security blanket and shielding her face with her fringe. The tear slowly creeping down her cheek was the only indication that she was regretting her actions.

"Rin, be careful…!"

"I'll be fine." Rin stepped right up to the contained exwire and knelt so his face would be level with hers if she brought her head up. "Mana, I know what you saw scared you, but these are _my_ flames. Not Satan's. Mine. And none of my friends are _ever_ going to get hurt by them – I'm going to use them to help me stop Satan from killing anyone else, do you hear me?"

"…" The brunette slowly nodded with a sniffle.

"Good. Now Shiemi's going to let you out – don't attack me – and we're going to head home on our own since Yukio still isn't here yet."

As if on cue, a set of footsteps rapidly approached the pair. "Rin! Shiemi! Are you all right?! Is Mana inside this thing?!"

"She is, and it's about time you showed up, four-eyes! How long do panic attacks last, anyway?!"

Mana flinched away from the shout directed nearly into her ear but slowly stood on her own even as Yukio finally came into view. "I think I'm okay now…thanks… Mine never last more than twenty minutes."

"Are you sure, Mana? We can always have Rin and Shiemi go on ahead and I can take you to your building."

"Let's do that, then. Just in case." The brunette nodded after a little consideration. "Shiemi needs to get home."

 _-Flames-_

Mana did her best to compose herself on the way back to her building, thankful for the lack of light that would have shown what a mess her face most likely was. She hadn't had such an immersive episode in years.

"Please don't tell my family."

The gleam off of Yukio's glasses changed slightly as he discreetly glanced sideways at her. "You're still interested in becoming an exorcist?"

"It's not…" She sighed wearily. "I am. As unbelievable as it is, Rin didn't choose to be Satan's son. And now that I know, I think that I'll be more accepted by the others…is that what they've been hiding?"

Her instructor carefully checked the area before murmuring, "I'd rather we continue this conversation after a good night's rest, and with your classmates so you can answer each other's questions. However, I completely understand if you're not up to attending tomorrow's lessons."

"…" Mana bit her lip nervously as she realized they were now in front of the girls' dormitory. "I'll think about it."

"Take care of yourself, Miss Taninaka."

Something in the tone of those words made the new exwire take a second look at the younger Okumura twin just as she was about to close the door. "Mister Okumura…?!"

"Rin's the only one who has them."

Yukio sighed wearily as the door closed with a sharp snap almost in his face and, once again, wondered how Rin managed to deal with this type of treatment, even if it was unintentional.

 _-Flames-_

"Good girl," Mephisto chortled to himself as he observed the entire exchange from above in his chair. His little knight-in-training had once again exceeded his expectations. And that reaction once she realized Rin and Yukio's shared parentage? Priceless!

He couldn't wait until _all_ of the exwires met to solve the next mystery.

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 _A/N:_ Happy (late) Valentine's Day. ;) You may not get Mephisto and Mana, but you do get some fluffy friendship, yes?


End file.
